Pre-emptive Peace?

In a time of talk about pre-emptive war it may be interesting to flip the coin and speak of “pre-emptive peace” as was done at a recent meeting presentation at the Eucharistic Congress in Bari.Fr. Oreste Benzi, founder of the “Pope John XXIII Association” that works with poor and exploited persons, recounted a story of meeting a young prostitute named Sofia on the streets of a town near Bari. They two began talking, and Sofia said she was no longer Christian.

Benzi asked her why.

“Because my clients are Christians,” she said. “They don’t do anything to help me, and their money goes to my ‘protector,'” she said.

Benzi made the point that preaching would be of little use unless the behavior of Christians seems to match their words.

Ernesto Olivero, founder of Sermig, or “youth missionary service,” based in Turin, argued that given the way things are going in the world, the Christian engagement in favor of peace and justice is more urgent than ever.

“In a time of preemptive war, we have to construct a preemptive peace,” Olivero said. “The church has to get down off its horse and help the poor.”

Quoted from John Allen’s column “The Word from Rome”